PSHACK100 puts public service developers at the forefront of digital transformation

Aalto students are experts in the service needs and lifestyle habits of the digital generation.

Together with Accenture, the National Defence University and the invited public sector organisations, Aalto University organises a multidisciplinary course that is built around the Hackathon event.

'The Public Service Hackathon 100 (#PSHACK100), organised on the centenary of Finland's independence, is a 'Master Class' aimed for public service developers. Through knowledge, doing and sharing, it takes the participants to a new level of open innovation, cooperative development and design thinking,' says Project Manager Thomas Lemström from Accenture.

The Public Service Hackathon, now organised for the third time, has proven effective, and it is developed in an ambitious manner based on experiences and the best insights. The course utilises the best practices of Accenture's global organisation and draws new insights from the cross-disciplinary operation of the Aalto University. The students should be customer-oriented, have fresh views and be able to innovate cooperatively.

Cooperation and the culture of experimentation boost the productivity of public sector organisations

The course is implemented by experts of Accenture's Health and Public Services division, Fjord's service designers and a group of professors and teachers from Aalto and the National Defence University. They will support the participating teams in creating and evaluating the solutions. Representatives of the participating organisations will also be actively involved in the coaching of the teams. A total of 150 students from all of Aalto's schools will have the opportunity to participate in the course.

'This hackathon aimed for business, engineering and design students gives the students an opportunity to do good for the society by using their creativity and skills, and they receive feedback for their work and have a chance to network,' says Johanna Bragge, Senior University Lecturer.

During the autumn, the organisations involved will identify the challenges and problems that they would like the student teams to address. It is likely that the invited organisations want students to develop new services and practices that make the services more user-friendly for the customers and to come up with solutions that can increase service mobility, etc.

The Hackathon event will be organised in November, and the final will be held in December

Students must sign up for the course by 24 October. The course begins with an introductory lecture on Monday 30 October and a kick-off event open for all on 31 October. The actual Hackathon event will be held on 16–17 November. The Hackathon teams have free hands to develop concepts and solutions to the organisations’ challenges in two days. Experts from the invited organisations, Aalto University, the National Defence University and Accenture will coach and motivate the teams during the competition. The winning team will be selected on 14 December, at which time the teams will present their solutions to the jury comprised of all the Hackathon's organisers. In addition to the 20-hour long Hackathon, the course includes lectures, group work assignments, coaching, start-up cooperation and excursions.